KOTA KINABALU: Most travellers at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) here can only hope it would be safe to travel by air soon.
Travel agency chief executive officer Salleh Mohamed, who brought 66 people to perform umrah in Jeddah, said most of them understood it would be dangerous to fly given the volcanic ash.
"Most of them are understand the situation is due to an unexpected natural disaster.
"But the disappointment on their faces was obvious," he told the New Straits Times when met at the airport.
Salleh said their flight was supposed to be at 12.10pm but was rescheduled to 6.05pm, and then cancelled.
According to schedule, the group should take a connecting flight from Singapore and reach Jeddah next morning and return to Sabah on April 28.
"As there has been no confirmation on next available flights, our company is urging those who live nearby to go home.
"But those who are from Kudat, Sipitang and Nabawan would be given free accommodation for today and tomorrow.
"We will ensure our clients, who are mostly senior citizens, will be able to perform their umrah after this," he said, adding that the umrah package per person cost RM6.990.
Meanwhile, civil servant Hania Rafei is still hoping that the flights would resume before her friend's wedding in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
The 28-year-old from Sandakan said that she was about to board the flight around 11am, but all passengers were told to reclaim luggage at the counters.
"I had spent about RM600 on the return Kota Kinabalu- Kuala Lumpur flights. But it is not about the money... I wanted to attend my friend's wedding."
As of 12pm, Kota Kinabalu International Airport stated that 14 flights had been cancelled and 10 rescheduled.
